The Frenchie/Antonella Controversy

Longtime fans remember it as the first of many, many American Idol scandals...Frenchie Davis getting the boot for having appeared topless on an adult website. Having blown away the judges in her initial audition with her rendition of "And I Am Telling You," and then doing the same to her fellow contestants as she teamed up with Kimberley Locke during Hollywood week to wail "Band of Gold," it had looked like Frenchie was going to walk away with the title in Season 2, or, at the very least, provide some stiff competition for Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken. Alas, it was not to be, as the zaftig belter was unceremoniously shown the door before the first semifinal performances.

Articles were written. Petitions popped up online in defense of Frenchie. But the producers held their ground, and Frenchie never returned to the American Idol stage. She has since carved out a nice career for herself on Broadway, having appeared in the hit musical Rent for the past four years. The story likely would have ended there, had compromising photos of Antonella Barba not appeared on the web. Internet and watercooler conversations have raged for the past few weeks, debating whether Antonella should be allowed to stay on the show, or whether she should, like Frenchie, be asked to leave the competition, as part of the claim that American Idol contestants should be held to a certain moral standard. (Forget, for a moment at least, that Antonella's performances can't even hold a candle to Frenchie's sensational vocals and stage presence).

Now, Frenchie, who has never talked badly about American Idol or her experience on the show, is getting in on the debate, and she's not happy. As she told the New York Post:

"I couldn't help but notice the difference between the manner in which she was dealt with and how I was dealt with. I think it's fantastic if 'Idol' has evolved and I think it's fantastic she won't have to go through what I went through four years ago. But if the rules have changed, I believe there should be something to make up for the fact that I was humiliated needlessly. It was a very painful experience for me and it was humiliating for my parents."

I feel for Frenchie, I really do, and I commend the way she has handled herself with dignity and class from the moment in 2003 when the sh*t hit the fan. However, four years later, I'm not sure how she would like this situation to be remedied. In addition, several internet pundits have pointed out, a key difference between Antonella and Frenchie's pictures is that Frenchie was paid to pose for the photos, while Antonella's were never intended for public consumption.

The chances of the Idol producers issuing an apology is pretty slim, and I can't imagine a situation in which Frenchie might be financially compensated for the experience. A demonstration in front of the Kodak Theater was planned for yesterday, to protest the way that Frenchie was treated, and while I commend the intentions, for the life of me I can't figure out what it is meant to accomplish. (I have yet to read any accounts of this protest...if you were there, let me know how it was)

Interestingly, while Frenchie herself does not believe (or at least has not said) that racism is at play here, civil-rights activist Najee Ali (of Project Islamic H.O.P.E.) takes issue with "having one rule for black contestants, and a different rule for whites who exhibit the same behavior." I actually disagree with this assessment...due to the fact that American Idol, the show, is a much different entity now than it was four years ago, I think its impossible to make a direct comparison between the two situations.

What do you make of this mess? Should Antonella have been kicked off the show, a la Frenchie? Does Frenchie have a legitimate claim to an apology, money, or something else? Let me know what you think.